These Bras Will Tell You All About Your Health

Over in the United Kingdom, Medical Detection Dogs are said to be able to sniff out cancer and other serious diseases in humans. Now, meet the bra that can also ostensibly do just that — or will be able to, at least at some point, as The Thirty points out. A group of scientists at Colombia’s National University are creating an over-the-shoulder boulder holder (sorry, Bette Midler) that comes with infra-red censors that should detect any abnormalities.

But that’s not all, not by a long shot, in the land of lingerie. In this age when smart watches track your physical activity and your phone can help you modulate your sleep patterns and teach you to meditate, there’s also the upcoming Bloomer Tech Bloomer bra, which aims to monitor and give insight into women’s cardio health. It’s worth noting here that heart disease is the most prevalent cause of death for both women and men in the U.S., so the issue is an important one.

How does the Bloomer bra work, you might ask? By using its washable circuits with sensors, sewn into the lining of the bra, which will then track electrocardiogram signals from the ticker. They’re sync up via Bluetooth to an app on your phone, and voila, you’re on your way to better health.

But not everyone is sold on these bells and whistles.

“I’m looking at the Bloomer right now and it’s interesting,” says lingerie expert and blogger Kim Caldwell. “It sounds fascinating. But a bra has two important jobs, which is to support you in the breast and give you great shape in your clothes. That’s the logistical bottom line of what a bra has to do. Fit is most important. Once you start adding things like pouches and heart detectors, it become a little complicated. But if it’s the best tool to deliver something that’s beneficial to someone’s health, that’s fantastic. But are these technology people as focused on fit? I’m not sure. It almost sounds like a medical device and not a supportive, basic bra.”

Nevertheless, a Kickstarter campaign was started to launch the Vitali Smart Bra, a sports undergarment that uses a processor to provide bio-feedback and reminds you to breathe, stand up straight (mom was right — posture does matter), and work out. It was developed by Cindy Gu, a yoga practitioner who studied mechanical engineering at the University of British Columbia and needed help managing stress. You can pre-order one for $149, and yes, it’s washable.

“It’s extremely difficult to be mindful of either posture or breathing in my everyday life,” Gu said in a promotional video. “We want to create something that’s truly comfortable to be worn throughout the day.”

And for those of us who just want simple comfort, there’s the Vibrant Body Company’s underwire-free bra, which is also non-toxic (if that matters to you) and gives you total freedom of movement without those restrictive slivers of metal.